Balancing single-acting pistons



May .10 1927.

w. MAUSS BALANCING SINGLE ACTING PISTONS Filed Sept. 2.' 1-924 Patented May 1Q, i227.

entree STATES I I 1,627,658 PATENT OFFICE.

WILHELIYI MAUSS, OF D'U'RBAN, NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA.

BALANCING SINGLE-ACTING PISTONS.

Application filed September 2, 1924. Serial No. 735,437.

The present invention has reference to reducing unbalanced pressure on single acting reciprocating pistons. It is applicable particularlyto internal combustion engines which employ high- (IOHIPI'BSSlO-H, for the Fig. IV is an enlarged detail view of the toggle.

Fig. V shows a construction employing liquid transmission.

1 indicates the engine cylinder and 2sthe piston Working therein. The power producing cycle takes place entirely above the piscon 2, and involves very high gaseous pressures when the piston is at theupper part of its travel. 1

The pressures above the piston 2 are according to this invention partly balanced by applying to the under side of the piston the force derived from the end of a four link toggle, to the knuckles of which equal and opposite force is applied in a direction at right angles to the derived force, the toggle end so moving with the piston that angularity of the links to the direction oi the applied force increases as the piston moves upwards.

Referring to the construction shown in Figs. I and II, the applied force is air pressure acting onthe pistons 8 in the cylinders 4. The pistons move in said cylinders along the path A which is at right angles to the direction of movement of the main piston 2.

The four toggle links 5 seat at their knuckles 6 on the pistons 3. One end Tot the upper pair of toggle links bears directly on the main piston The other end 8 of the lower pair of toggle links bears on a stationary seat 9. -To allow for the necessary vertical movementot' the knuckles 6 with half the amplitude. otthe piston 2 the cylinders 4 are free to slide vertically in fixed guides 10, and the compressed air is conveyed to them from a reservoir 11 through flexible pipes 12. The ends of the ton 2.

move equally, the cylinders 4 are fixed.

toggles are made of considerable width shown in Fig. IV, in order to provide the requisite bearing area to withstand the high pressure transmit-ted. It will be seen that as the main piston 2 descends from the position of Fig. I towards the position of Fig. II the pistons 3 are driven outwardly against the'air pressure in the cylinders-4; and that as the piston 2 ascends, its ascent is assisted by the pistons 3.

The resultant pressure exerted by a toggle arran ed as described varies through a cycle analogous to the cycle ofthe gaseous pressure above the piston 2. The diagram, Fig. Ill, in which ordinates represent pressure and abscissae represent, the travel of the piston 2, indicates how the high pressure 5, 0, exerted by the toggle on the piston 2, when the latter is at the upper limit of its travel changes to the low pressure 6, y, when the piston 2 is at the lower limit of its travel, through a cycle represented by the graph 6, 0, (Z. 6. This graph being a curve which resembles the curve It, 2', is, of gas expansion and the curve Z, m, it of gas compression, it will be evident that by suitably arranging the toggle, the actual values of the toggle pressure may be so arranged that the graph 7), 0, (Z, 6, occupies a position relatively to the curves h, is, and l, m, has shown, such that the greatest diilerence between the gaseous pressure above the piston 2 and the toggle pressure below the piston 2,indicated in the diagram by the downward pressure it, c and the upwardpressure m, Z

isa minimum; this difference representing the unbalanced force which remains to be transmittedthrough the piston rod 13, the connecting rod 14, the-crank 15, and the cylinder pillars 16.,

By the use of ,the four link toggle construction described the occurrence of side thrust is transmitting the balancing pressure to the piston 2, through the toggle, is obviated.

In the Fig. V construction the toggle pressure is transmitted hydraulically to the pis- A casing 17 is applied ,to the open lower end of the cylinder 1, and contains oil or other liquid 18. Comn'ninicating with the interior of the casing are the cylinders 19, 1,9 in which Work the opposed pistons 20, 20 Said pistons are connected by their rods 21,, 21 to theopposite ends 8, T of the toggle. As both ends of the toggle can thus In the operation of this form of the invention pressure is maintained on the liquid 18 by the pistons 20, 20* deriving their pressure, through the toggle, from the pistons 3; the pistons 20, 20 moving apart or coming together to follow the downward and upward movements of the main piston 2.

Provision may be made for varying the toggle pressure cycle to conform to changes in the pressure cycle of the working gas above the piston 2. With a given stroke of the main piston 2, variation of the toggle pressure cycle may be effected in two ways. Firstly the character of the graph 6, c, d, 6 may be altered by utilizing a different section of the total available pressure line a, a. 0, cl, 6, 7".

This adjustment is provided for in the Fig. l arrange;nent by making the seat 9 vertically adjustable by means oi vertical guiding dowels 22 and a supporting wedge 2 adjustable by a screw 24: and hand wheel nut 25. l ly raising said seat 9 the mean angularity ot' the toggle links is decreased, the effect being reflected in Fig. III by the shifting of the toggle pressure curve to the right relatively to the indicator diagram to the position a. o f. Lowering the seat has the opposite effect.

In the hydraulic transmission arrangement of Fig. V, there is provided for the same purpose a reservoir 26 containing liquid, which, by means of air pressure above it, is maintained at a pressure between the extremes of pressure to which the liquid is subjected. Communication between the casing 17 and the reservoir 26 is normally closed by a two way cock 27, which however can be turned to open such communication by way of either of the non-return valves 28, or 29, which open in opposite directions.

It communication is opened by way of the non-return valve28 which opens outwardly from the reservoir, the result isthat every time the pressure of the liquid 18 falls to a low point, some liquid passes from the reservoir 26 into the casing 17, causing the mean position of the pistons 20, 20 to be displaced outwardly and the means angularity of the toggle links to be decreased with the same result as in the Fig. I example. On the other hand, by turning the cock 27 to cause the valve 29 to be effective, liquid passes from the casing 17 into the reservoir 26 at each peak pressure of the liquid 18, causing the mean angularity of the toggle to increase.

The second way in which the toggle pressure cycle may be varied is by changing the pressure of the fluid in the reservoir 11, so changing the vertical scale of the graph Zn, 0. d, e, to correspond with any prolonged alteration of the mean pressure above the piston 2. For this purpose pressure in the reservoir 11 may be altered by admitting cylinders 4 in communication with the compressed air reservoir 11. A cam 34: driven from the engine shaft 35 operates during the scavenging and mductlon strokes of the engine to shift the valve 33 whereby the latter opens the cylinders 4- to atmosphere.

I claim 7 1. In a high compression internal combustion engine having a single acting piston, the combination with the piston of a toggle mechanism comprising four links arranged in quadrilateral formation symmetrically about the axis of the piston, a pair of opposite linkends being movable together to wards and from one another transversely to the axis, means to apply inwardly and constantly acting force to each of said pair of link ends, another pair of link ends being movable along the axis and connected to the piston to transmit thereto the force resultant from the constantly acting force and the several links always maintaining, with respect to the axis, the same angularity as each other.

2. In a high compression internal combustion engine having a single acting piston, the combination with the piston of a toggle mechanism comprising tour links arranged in quadrilateral formation symmetrically about the axis of the piston, and so that the several links always maintain, with respect to the axis. the same angularity as each other. a pair of opposite link ends being movable together towards and from one another in a straight line transverse to the axis, means to apply inwardly and constantly acting force to each of said pair of link ends, another pair of link ends being movable along the axis and connected to the piston to transmit thereto the force resultant from the constantly acting force, substantially the whole of the path of the link ends along the axis being on one side of the line transverse to the axis.

3. In a high compression internal combustion engine having a single acting piston the combination with the piston of a toggle mechanism comprising four links arranged in quadrilateral formation symmetrically about the axis of the piston, and so that the several links always maintain, with respectto the axis, the same angularity as each other, a pair of opposite link ends being movable together towards and from one another in a straight line transverse to the axis, means to apply inwardly and constantly acting force to each of said pair of link ends, another pair of link ends being movable along the axis and connected to the piston to transmit thereto the force resultant from the constantly acting force, the links making an angle of at least 55 degrees With the transverse line when the piston is at the inner end of its stroke.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

I WILHELM MAUSS. 

